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WALDEN SCHMALDEN - THEY STILL HAD NO MANDATE FOR COALITION.

If the formation of a coalition lifted all prior, individually pledged, obligations to voters, as Nick and Dave insist, then all the more reason to have OBTAINED A MANDATE for coalition during the hustings. These duplicitous charlatans CANNOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.

Let us now have the honourable election we should have had. And may no one have mercy on Nick or Dave's souls.

Vote wise - vote radical - vote independent.

SPOILPARTYGAMES

It comes as no surprise. He was thought by many to be the quintessential traitor of the labour movement. He refused an opportunity to be one of HM minister's. Reason? he could make more money, allegedly, being retained by the bookies.

#1 barriesingleton

I gather that you are a tad irritated,feel more than a little annoyed.I
rather think that both Tories and Labour went all out to win the election
hands down,cant say the same for the L.Ds with their low ratings.

Irritated you may be but a coalition government was all we were gonna get
wasnt it? And please no.....dont even think about another election now,I
can think of nothing worse!

WHEN THE VOTERS AWAKE THE POLITICIANS QUAKE (#3)

That old sore about democracy being the 'least bad' option comes to mind sevenstargreen. Not a favourite of mine. In recent decades, democracy has been ill-served by a slumbering electorate, voting for myths and rosettes. I get the impression that the enforced hair shirt of the voter, currently, is opening a lot of eyes a little wider than usual. Elections were never desirable, such is the corruption and chicanery attendant, but one held NOW, could prove 'least bad', for the reasons given above.

As always, I would not start from here, nor indeed go there, but 'there is a tide in the affairs of men . . .' I think we have a chance to

SPOILPARTYGAMES

I think you'll find his first name was actually 'Bwian'.

WAS THAT AN AD HOMINEM AT ALL? (#5)

Tu Quoque Debte!

I remember him well. Sadly, like so many Labour figures, rode into parliament on the backs of ordinary people but forgot them as soon as he arrived at the ' best club in the country'.
It was widely reported at the time that his refusal to take a position in the government of the day, for which he was eminently qualified, was due to the fact that he would have had to give up his lucrative retaining fee from the Bookmakers Association.

In a first past the post election how can anyone have a mandate for a coalition? You can't campaign in a UK election saying your plan b will be to from a coalition, people will say you're already admitting defeat.

Brian Walden's greatest contribution to human civilization was choosing 'Nantucket Sleigh Ride' by Mountain as the theme music for Week-end World!

WHICH SAYS A LOT ABOUT 'PEOPLE' (#8)

They still have lifeboats on ships - don't they? Maybe if the voters were awake, we could do all sorts of democratic magic (see my #4).

In reality, of course, you are right TMR.

The opportunism of party politics is the root problem. If shipping lines were political parties, and they could get round the law, imagine the 'negative canvassing' about ships WITH lifeboats! It's a dirty game played by grubby people - with relish.

SPOILPARTYGAMES.

I used to love listening to Brian Walden. His lisp is charming! But a Labour MP, a fan of Margaret Thatcher and hatcher-in-chief of the idea for the current LibCon alliance? Is there no end to the in-breeding in our political system? No wonder there are so many Westminster village idiots!

#10

The Frank Field of his day?

brian used to bounce about in his seat as if someone was giving him electric shocks when he asked questions. it was great fun to imitate it.

what did happen after hillhead cricky?

"These duplicitous charlatans CANNOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS."

Neither can you Barry. Get over it, you lost.

#13

...welcome to the place of last resort!

he's not Bwian...he's a very naughty boy....

Just for the record, the pledge by LibDems to vote against tuition fees was, from all I can see, a personal pledge. It may have also been in the party manifesto - but that does not alter the nature of the personal promise which is now being broken.

It does them little credit to now argue that they "lost" the election so the pledge does not count. The fact is that those LibDems who were elected, by definition, won their election - and should honour their promises.

AS for the coalition, I am instinctively drawn to the idea that people should work together to solve problems rather than compete for power. But the LibDems campaigned on a manifesto that opposed early cuts in spending and they are now supporting them - when they had a choice to stand aloof and limit the cutting ambitions of a minority tory Government in Parliament (or even to do a deal with Labour).

To blame the nature of coalition politics for that choice is disingenuous.

On a more practical note, it also looks as though we are being sold a pup. Everyone, including the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ is talking about these savage "cuts" but on the Treasury's own figures spending is still going to increase by c.2% a year during this Government. It is jobs and service that are being cut - to appease the markets - but all hell will break loose next year when it becomes apparent that it has done nothing to reduce the deficit!

ps (Forgetting, for a moment, the smoke and mirrors of "real terms" and "% of GDP") the Treasury's figures show public spending will continue to increase - and the deficit will be magically reduced by something like a 6% increase in tax receipts! so much for 80% cuts and 20% tax increases! The reality is, though, that no-one has given any credible explanation as to where this increase in tax receipts is going to come from!

I just don't understand all these moaners. Who in their right mind would have wanted another election within 6 months of the last one with all the costs involved? It would have had the potential to ruin the three main parties and half the Councils in the country and even then there may still have not have been a full mandate for any one party to form a government.
And, the coalition is working very well indeed, which is more than you can say about the last lot in power.

this government is doomed.......doomed i tell you....doomed!!!

#1 barriesingleton "THEY STILL HAD NO MANDATE FOR COALITION."

Nonsense - the fact of a hung parliament is a mandate to create a coalition.
A coalition has no mandate as such because... it's a coalition - they thrash out their own agreement.

And that is why all those people who wanted a coalition and thought they were "voting for a coalition" were so short-sighted. Because you don't really know what you're going to get once the deals are done.

Bottom line - vote according to your own convictions, playing games with democracy is playing with fire.

And barrie you can write another 500 posts all over this thread if you like but it won't alter those simple facts of life.